THE EARLY CATTLE DAYS IN TEXAS, Page #0365

stampede that is written indelibly on memory's page
—a stampede of men. It occurred one dreadful hot July day when the
sun was at full tide and the wind refused to blow. It is said men are like
monkeys— imitative creatures. One of the boys dropped back to the
wagon and disrobed down to undershirt and drawers. He looked so cool that all
tried the experiment, some leaving everything in the wagon but undershirt and
government drawers. It was on the prairie near the head of Elm and happened to
be Sunday, as we were reminded when we were met by a whole camp meeting crowd of
young ladies and their beaux on horseback. The boss and the wagon had gone on
ahead and the boys wished they could also vanish. The boss, who would rather
have fun and go to hell in a go-cart than miss it and go to Heaven in a chariot,
had instructed the young folks to pass by the herd on both sides, and they did
so, hence the stampede. Some of the boys went off at a tangent east to see how
the range looked, others went west in search of water to fill their canteens, a
few thoughtfuls dropped to the rear to push up the drags, while others held
their ground trying to hide their embarrassment by trying to put the words "I I
would not live alway, I ask not to stay," to music.

After crossing Red River at Red River Station and entering the Indian Nation, now
Oklahoma, the things of interest or disinterest that accompanied the drive were
many stampedes, sleepless nights, gyp water and poor chuck, constituted our bill
of fare. Occasionally some of the boys would ride into camp weary, with a bad
liver, venting their spleen on the patient cook, but as he was no hog and knew
when he had enough, old Betsy (his 44 Colts), which he kept in the chuck wagon
as a liver regulator, was sometimes resorted to, usually bringing order out of
chaos. Buffalo, antelope and Indians were much in evidence, and an occasional
buffalo was shot. Chasing them afforded great sport, but as for chasing